Bethesda Sues Warner Bros. Claiming Westworld Game is a ‘Blatant Rip-off’ of Fallout Shelter

Developer Behavior Interactive is at the center of the lawsuit.

Bethesda Softworks has filed a lawsuit against publisher Warner Bros. and developer Behavior Interactive over their newly released Westworld mobile game, claiming that the game is a “blatant rip-off” of Bethesda’s hit mobile title from 2015, Fallout Shelter.

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According to TMZ, Bethesda alleges that Behavior Interactive stole the artwork and codes from Fallout Shelter and used them to create the new Westworld mobile title. The court documents state that Bethesda initially hired Behavior to help develop Fallout Shelter back in 2014. Behavior was later hired by Warner Bros. to create the Westworld mobile game, based on the popular HBO television series. 

Bethesda is now suing for copyright infringement, stating that Behavior used the “same copyrighted computer code created for Fallout Shelter in Westworld.” A key factor in their suit is the claim that a game bug that was found in an early version of Fallout Shelter has also manifested in the new Westworld mobile game.

Bethesda Softworks aims to take the publisher and developer to trial, claiming that Behavior essentially copied the gameplay and aesthetic features of Fallout Shelter and modified them to fit the Westworld theme, breaching the contract they held with Bethesda by using their intellectual property for the new game. The complete lawsuit document can be viewed in a report from Polygon.

Admittedly, the two games do look very similar. You can watch the Westworld game trailer above and judge it for yourself. The parties involved have not made any subsequent statements at the time of this writing, but we’ll be sure to keep you apprised of any updates.


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Larryn is a content creator on YouTube and a full-time writer who has written guides and editorial features for various gaming websites. She can often be found at small gatherings preaching the gospel of The Witcher 3.